KUALA LUMPUR: Limited seats are among the reasons why even students with a CGPA of 4.0 may not secure their preferred courses at public universities, the Higher Education Ministry has clarified.
"Taking into account academic achievement, interview and/or test recommendations, the limited number of available places, and candidates’ programme preferences, there will be candidates who do not receive an offer for their top choices even if they obtained a CGPA of 4.00," the ministry said in a parliamentary written reply dated Wednesday (Dec 4).
For the 2025/2026 academic session, a total of 695 STPM candidates with a 4.00 CGPA were offered their first-choice course, 237 received their second choice, and 156 were placed in their third choice.
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"The Ministry consistently ensures that outstanding candidates are offered places based on the 12 programme choices they select, depending on their merit ranking, fulfilment of general and specific programme requirements, the number of places available, and passing interviews and/or tests for programmes that require them."
The ministry added that for the 2025/2026 session, all outstanding candidates with a CGPA of 4.00 from STPM, Matriculation, Foundation, and STAM will be offered places in academic programmes within their own programme choices.
The reply was in response to a question from Khoo Poay Tiong (PH-Kota Melaka) regarding the mechanism to ensure all STPM leavers with a CGPA of 4.0 are offered one of their top three course choices.
